


Feedback loop

by HybridComplex



Series: Lost and found [5]
Category: The Avengers, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Also there really is no violence or gore in this one, Creeping ever closer to actual slash, Gen, I congratulate myself, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-06
Updated: 2012-07-06
Packaged: 2017-11-09 06:42:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/452470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HybridComplex/pseuds/HybridComplex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything he touches can be used for evil. He is a monster is a weapon is a still a sad little boy inside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feedback loop

**Author's Note:**

> This one is for aisu10 and 5harky because they are awesome and I love them.
> 
> (Go read their stuff they are such good writers.)

Tony whispers it across the room to him, stories about his father - _neglect anger blood pain_ \- and mother - _why did you have to die I miss you so much please come back mommy_ \- and then, then there's Rhodey. He hears about spending days locked up in tree-houses and crying on each other's shoulders and then crying alone because Rhodey was gone and gone and gone and Tony looked and looked but then the mutation rippled across his cells and he stopped. _Rhodey would hate me think I'm a monster better to be alone can't get attached can_ -

There's a picture of him in Tony's bedside table and Bruce sees him big and small and happy and sad and panicked - _what's happening why do the things I touch explode I'm so scared_ \- and wonders if Tony knows that his brother in all but blood is a mutant too.

So Bruce coils around him loosely and lies him down and fishes in his mind until Hulk pushes him in the right direction and he sings like his mother used to, soft and warm and  _when it's dark you're home and fed, curl up snug in your water bed, moon is shining and the stars are out, goodnight little whale, goodnight_ .

Hulk twists closer to the surface and they kiss Tony's forehead and Bruce has to force himself not to purr and snuggle closer. He pokes Hulk insistently until he settles back into his cluster of neurons and slips from Tony's bed, opening his mind to Charles and threading the image and feel of Rhodey into his dream, knowing it will be recognized for what it is.

Bruce tries to leave in the morning and stands with his hand on the doorknob for ten minutes, watching Tony sleep and breathe and feels warmth surge through his entire body. The feel of it crashing over him at the end of the feedback loop from Charles - _he breathes deep and Hulk shutters their mind more tightly to cut it off_ \- is what makes him open the door and step into the hall.

Hank doesn't want him inside Cerebro but lets him by and Bruce ducks his head so no one sees the green swell in his eyes. Charles is ready and waiting with his eyes closed. Hulk huffs but lets Bruce open themselves up once more, pushing forward through Charles' mind into Cerebro and it's excruciating to feel all the pain that Charles doesn't.

But the look on Tony's face when Rhodey walks into the mansion behind Bruce two days later is well worth it. Hulk rumbles contentedly and memorizes scent and name -the warmth of fire and oil and heaviness and  _War Machine_ \- and his family grows ever larger.

**Author's Note:**

> This feels a lot shorter than it is and I don't know why, but.
> 
> I'll probably write more into Rhodey's backstory in the future since it's not really the main focus here.


End file.
